


Of Land Grants and Last Stands

by NicePumpkinSpice



Series: Of Sweet Memories and Guarded Moments [61]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-26
Updated: 2015-04-26
Packaged: 2018-03-25 22:32:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3827389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NicePumpkinSpice/pseuds/NicePumpkinSpice
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cullen's parents tell him about a gift they have for Cullen and Evelyn.  Corypheus makes his final move.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of Land Grants and Last Stands

Cullen’s parents followed Evelyn and him to his office after the sparring session ended. Evelyn gathered up Bella and said her goodbyes before heading off to her quarters to clean up for the day’s meetings. Cullen began to sort through papers on his desk as his father settled down on the sofa, and his mother flitted about the room looking at everything.

Martha noticed the painting of the small pond at Honnleath on Cullen’s desk. Picking it up to examine it closer, she asked Cullen where he had gotten it. “Evelyn had it painted for me. I took her to Honnleath when we were first courting.” Martha walked the small oil painting over to James who studied it carefully before smiling with approval. Martha raised an eyebrow and looked imploringly to James who shrugged and then nodded.

“We had meant to tell you this later when Evelyn was around, but your Mama is impatient,” James began. Martha scowled at James, but then grinned excitedly at Cullen..

“It was Bea’s idea, but we all talked about it and agreed.” Martha interrupted.

James cleared his throat and Martha quieted, “We never sold our farm in Honnleath. Most of the people who would have been interested in it either died in the Blight or like us wanted to move away from difficult memories. Bea pointed out that you were never there during the Blight and that your recollections of Honnleath would be only good ones.”

Cullen furrowed his brow unable to follow his father’s meaning. Martha sighed and spoke, “Cully, we want you to have the land. Obviously, Evelyn and you have a fortress, but everyone needs a place to call home. The farm can be that for you both. We know it might be ages before you could live there regularly, but it can be a retreat for you now.”

“I don’t know what to say... thank you,” Cullen said then hugged his mother and father. “You don’t know what this means to me. Once I joined the Templars, I relinquished all thoughts of having a place of my own. I’ll let you tell Evelyn. She’ll be just as thrilled.”

********************

Evelyn prepared her bath while Bella jumped around her legs barking happily. “You’ve certainly come around on your opinions of baths, Bella. I promise I’ll let you splash in the tub once I’ve gotten clean.” Bella sat and howled appreciatively. Evelyn tossed her a ball and began to disrobe.

When she had removed her armor and undergarments, Evelyn examined her side. A large purple bruise was forming where Helaine had gotten in a sharp hit during their sparring match. Bella looked at Evelyn’s side and whimpered. “She got me good. I don’t think she broke any ribs, but they’re definitely bruised. I’ll take a healing potion now, and see Solas or another healer later.” Bella cocked her head as if to ask a question. “No, I’m not going to heal myself. You know what they say about healers that treat themselves - don’t you? They have a fool for a patient.” Bella blinked in response and went back to chewing on her ball.

Evelyn slid into the warm water with a sigh. She sunk beneath the surface to wet her hair and then allowed her head to resurface. Humming Maryden’s tune about mages, Evelyn began to scrub her body with the gardenia scented soap she preferred. Once she felt sufficiently scoured, Evelyn began to shampoo her hair. Just as Evelyn rinsed the last bits of soap off her hair and body, Bella began to claw at the tub and bark anxiously. 

“Be patient, Bella. I’m nearly finished then you can have a bath of your own.”

Bella continued to look distressed and ran about the room whimpering. Evelyn stood up from the tub and had just wrapped a towel around herself when the concussion of the blast hit. Evelyn’s marked hand throbbed and glowed. Without even looking out her window, Evelyn knew what had happened. Corypheus had reopened the Breach.

Evelyn didn’t have time to get clothed before guards came flooding into her quarters. Seeing her state of undress they turned away but stayed in the room to protect her if needed. Evelyn raced to put on her leathers and armor while she heard heavy footsteps on the stairs outside her room. “Is Skyhold under attack?” she asked the nearest guard.

“When the blast hit, we came here, ma’am. I don’t know if we’re under attack, but we’ll defend you,” the guard said with a shaking voice.

Evelyn almost laughed at the idea of the young, nervous guard keeping her safe, but her thoughts were distracted by the sound of someone running up the stairs leading directly to her room. She grasped her staff and got ready to attack when Cullen’s head appeared through the balusters.

“Commander!” the guards chimed in unison as Cullen scanned the room looking for Evelyn.

Ignoring his men, he went straight to Evelyn. “Have you seen? The Breach is reopened.”

“Is Skyhold being assaulted?” Evelyn asked.

“Not at present, but I’ve got my lieutenants mustering forces now. We need to get to the war room,” he replied.

“Right behind you,” Evelyn said as she grabbed a brush and towel for her hair and followed Cullen.

Leliana, Josephine, Morrigan, and Cassandra were waiting in the war room. Their faces were tense. The pain in Evelyn’s arm made her nerves frayed, and she began to laugh. It was too fucking ironic. She had spent the past year thwarting Corypheus at every turn, and he had just undone all of her work.

“Ev, are you okay?” Cullen asked shaken by seeing Evelyn unhinged.

Evelyn pulled herself together enough to say. “Not really. It’s just we’re right back where we started.”

“No. This time we have an army and the support of most of Thedas. We know our enemy and have weakened him immeasurably.” Cassandra replied.

Evelyn shook her head and clutched her arm to her stomach, “We have an army that is weeks away from reaching us, and we have the support of nobles that we’ve nearly drained dry preparing for our last battle. We’re back where we were before, and our time table is just as tight.” 

“What do you mean about our time frame, Inquisitor?” Leliana asked her perceptive eyes already staring at the arm Evelyn held against herself.

Evelyn pulled her arm away and rolled up her sleeve. The glowing green magic was pulsing and churning from the mark on her hand and up her arm. “The Breach is expanding and so is the mark.”

Morrigan spoke sharply, “You either close the Breach again or it swallows the world.”

Leliana turned to Morrigan, “Did you find what you needed, Morrigan?”

“I can match the magister’s dragon. As for matching Corypheus, that is up to you, Inquisitor.” Morrigan challenged.

Evelyn nodded. The witch was right. It was time to end this. “Cassandra, tell the others in my inner circle that we’ll leave for the ruins of the Temple of Sacred Ashes on the hour. Leliana and Cullen, choose some of your most seasoned people to travel with us. We must act now.”

Everyone at the table scrambled into action except Cullen and Evelyn. He hadn’t moved from his position across the table from her even as the room cleared. He swallowed hard as she walked over to him and touched his cheek.

“I can’t lose you,” he admitted.

Evelyn tried to smile and caressed his cheek, “Cullen, I will seal the Breach, but I don’t know what that will mean for me. Promise that...”

“I will make no promises for any scenario not involving your return. You will come back to me,” he said forcefully.

Evelyn’s eyes teared up as she hugged Cullen tightly, “As you say, Commander.”

**Author's Note:**

> Just a few more updates, and I'll be through the main story line. I plan on occasionally adding post-game content as it springs to mind, but I'll be primarily concentrating on my other series. Balancing two story lines is too challenging to do regularly. Look for me to post the next installment of this series in four or five days. Thanks for reading along!


End file.
